Hydrodynamic coupling



1954 R. c. ZEIDLER 2,692,562

HYDRODYNAMIC coumuc Filed Dec. 31. 1948 Patented Get. 26, 1954 heater HYDRODYNAMIC (JOUPLING Reinhold C. Zeidler, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 31, 1948, Serial No. 68,693

6 Claims.

This invention relates to hydrodynamic coupling devices and more particularly to a vaned element of such device and method of fabricating or assembling the same.

Fabricated hydrodynamic coupling devices have been proposed wherein the vaned impeller and turbine elements each comprise a substantially semi-toroidal shell, a plurality of semi-circular vanes received within the shell and having tabs received Within slots in the shell, and an annular retainer plate connected to the inner periphery of the shell and engaging the radially inner ends of the vanes to maintain the tabs in the vanes within the slots in the shell, these component parts of each vaned element being formed of sheet metal stampings. Use of a retainer plate is desirable when the vanes are of sufiicient length to have their radially inner ends adjacent the inner periphery of the shell. However, it is frequently desirable to use vanes in the vaned elements having short lengths and with their radially inner ends spaced a substantial distance from the inner periphery of the shell, for example, when a stator element is disposed between the impeller and turbin elements and having vanes and a core ring extending within the shell of the impeller and turbine elements, or where it is desirable to shorten the fluid entrance of the vaned element. In such cases, a large annular retaining plate is required and must extendl from the inner periphery of the shell a substantial distance radially into the shell, with the consequence, the plate does not hold the vanes in the shell as effectively as the combination of long vanes and a small retaining plate so that the tabs on the short vane may be dislodged from the slots in the shell by the substantially large torque forces on the vanes developed by the toroidal circulation of fluid in the hydrodynamic coupling device.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device and method of fabricating the same in which the component parts of the element comprising a hollow, substantially semi-toroidal shell and vanes in the shell are secured to each other by connecting means formed as portions of the shell and vanes and in a manner that the assembly has the necessary strength to withstand the substantially large pressures on the vanes induced by the toroidal circulation of fluid in the operation of the device and tending to disengage the vanes from the shell.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device and method of fabricating the same wherein the vaned element comprises a hollow, substantially semi-toroidal shell having spaced seats engaging mounting portions of flexible vanes in the shell, the engaging parts of th vane mounting portions being spaced apart a greater distance than the engaging parts of the seats of the shell requiring the vanes to be flexed to effect engagement of the vanes and shell and inducing forces in the vanes to hold the vanes and shell in engagement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved element of a hydrodynamic coupling device and method of fabricating the same wherein the component parts of the vaned element are preferably of sheet metal and comprise a plurality of vanes with each vane having tabs respectively received within a notch and a slot in a semi-toroidal shell, and deforming the metal of the shell adjacent each notch to retain the tab therein and flex the vane to forcibly engage the other tab with one end of the slot receiving the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device of the torque-multiplying type having a plurality of substantially semicircular vanes between a semi-toroidal shell and core ring and connected to the shell, each of the vanes engaging the outer curved surface of the core ring being held in engagement with connecting means preferably in the form of a tab on the arcuate inner margin of the vane extending through a slot in the core ring in its midsection and engaging the inner surface of the core ring, the linear distance between parallel planes respectively intersecting an edge of the slot engaged by the tab and the surface of the core ring engaged by an edge of a vane being greater than that between parallel planes, respectively, intersecting the edge of the tab engaging the edge of the slot, and the edge or" the vane engaging the surface of the core ring so that the engagement of the inner arcuate surface of the vanes with the outer surface of the core ring sets up considerable friction between the outer surface of the core ring and the edge of the vanes engaged therewith to prevent vibration or rattle of the vanes during operation of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved vaned element as described wherein the vanes may be made of sheet metal having some inherent resiliency and are flexed to hold the vanes in engagement with seats on the shell, and each vane is curved in the direction of its thickness and may be formed with a semi-circular crown disposed out of the plane of the vane to provide rigidity to the vanes in their assembled relation with the shell to withstand unusually high pressures of fluid during operation of the coupling device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device which is simple and rugged in construction, light in weight, efficient in operation, and easy and inexpensive to fabricate.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an axial section of a fragmentary per-.- tion of a vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device and showing the vanes between and in engagement with an outer shell and an inner core ring and locked mechanically to the shell and core ring;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the element shown. in Fig. l and as seen from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary portion of the vane and shell in Fig. 1 with the vane being shown in place in the shell and about to be locked mechanically in the shell; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the core ring and vane shown in Fig. 1, prior to assembly.

The drawings are to be understood as being more or less of a schematic character for the purpose of disclosing a typical or preferred form of the improvements contemplated herein, and in these drawings like reference characters identify the same parts in the different views.

Referring now to the drawings, my improved vaned element is of the type used in a hydrodynamic coupling device adapted to multiply torque between a power means and a load, such as the engine and driven wheels of an automotive vehicle, through the circulation of fluid in a closed toroidal circuit, wherein energy received from the engine is multiplied and transmitted to the driven wheels. The vaned element dis.- closed comprises a shell or casing I o and core ring I I, each in the shape of a serni-toroid shown in Fig. 1 and preferably made from sheet metal, but it may be made from any other sheet mate-v rial. The cross-sections of the shell and core ring may be a semi-circle, or it may be of any desired contour. The shell has a substantially semi-toroidal inner surface which is provided with radially spaced sets of circumferentially spaced seats I2, I3 and I4, the seats 12 and I3 being formed as slots and the seats I4 being formed as notches radially inwardly of the slots I2 and I3. As shown in Fig. 2 the seats are disposed in different radial planes, and the core ring II is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced seats in the form of slots I5 intermediate its edges for a purpose to be described.

A plurality of vanes I6 of sheet metal, preferably steel tempered to have some inherent resiliency, are formed with a curvature which may be variously defined as a compound, ogee, or reverse curve for effectively controlling a desierd toroidal flow of fluid through the passages defined by the vanes for torque-multiplying purposes. Each of the vanes is also substantially semi-circular in shape to fit, within the semitoroidal casing and to receive the core ring, and the outer and inner arcuate peripheral edges of the vanes have engagement with the complementary surfaces of the outer surface of the core ring and the inner surface of the shell.

Each vane is provided with three tabs I1, I8 and I9 extending radially outward of the outer margin of the vane, the tabs I7 and II] of each vane fitting into the slots I2 and I3, respectively, of the shell I0 and the tabs I9 of the vanes being received in the notches I4 of the shell. It may be noted that the curvatures of the vanes require the careful location and dimensioning of the slots and notches in the shell as previously described to insure the tabs on the vanes fitting within the slots and notches in the shell. The vanes are also provided with tabs 20 on their inner arcuate margins extending through the slots I5 in the core ring I I, and each of these tabs is of sufficient length so that it can be folded or rolled down fiat against the inner curved surface of the core ring to lock the core ring to the vanes.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it may be noted that each of the notches I9 is V-shaped and the portions of the shell defining the radially inner edge of each notch I4 comprises staked portions or bosses 2I projecting from the semi-toroidal inner surface of the shell between the radial in.- ner and outer edges thereof and extending along and engaging the tapered radially inner edges 25 of the vanes in the completed assembled vaned element. Referring to Fig. 3 illustrating the notches I4 in the shell as initially formed and prior to assembling the vanes with the shell. each vane has its radially inner extremity conforming to and engaging angularly disposed surfaces of the associated notch I4 in the shell receiving the same, these surfaces of the notch being disposed at a right angle to each other as are also the engaged surfaces of the vane extremity. In the assembling of the vanes with the shell, the tabs I! of the vanes are first inserted into the slots I2 in the shell. The distance in,- dicated at X in Figs. 1 and 2 between each slot I2 and notch I4 receiving the tabs I1 and I 9 of a vane is slightly less than the overall length of the vane between these points, so that the vanes must be slightly flexed or distorted by a light pressure to insert the tabs I8 of the vanes in the slots I3 and to snap the tabs I9 of the vanes into the notches I4 in the shell. The vanes in their flexed condition are thus held within the shell, with the edge of the tab I! of each vane tightly engaged at 23 with the portion of the shell dee fining one edge of the slot H in the shell and also with the tab I9 similarly engaging the portions of the shell defining the notch I4 in the shell. The vanes are thus held in the casing in an initial preloaded condition.

Prior to the assembly of the core ring with the vanes, the shell is positioned within a die having a pressure ring arrangement acting on the vanes to hold them firmly in engagement with the shell, while a series of punches 24, one of which, such as shown in Fig. 3, is provided for each vane and positioned at the radially inner edge of the notch I4 in the shell and is driven against the inner surface of the shell to displace or disrupt, by gouging, the metal of the shell to cause the metal of the shell to flow over the diagonal radially inner edge 25 of the vanes to provide a boss 2| maintaining the vane in assembly with the shell. Referriig to Fig. 3, it may be noted that each punch 24 has a tapered surface 26 to provide a sharp edge 21 to enter the metal of the casing adjacent the notch I4 and to cause the metal to flow along the tapered surface 26 of the punch and form a boss ZI engaging the diagonal edge 25 of the vane. This staking operation sets .up ad t na erm ne tprel adins fo ce the vane in the directions indicated by the arrows A and B in Fig. 1, causing a reactionary force at 23 holding the vane firmly in engagement with the end of the slot I 2 in the shell and securely maintaining the vane in assembly with the shell. To determine the strength of the assembly, a vane, assembled with a shell as described, was provided with a hole in it near its radially inner extremity for the purpose of attaching a load to the vane, and it was found that the application of an axial load of eighty (80) pounds failed to loosen the vane. These tests clearly afford proof that the mounting of the vanes in the shell as described will provide a unitary structure, where in the vanes are capable of withstanding excessively large fluid pressures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have found that the vanes it may be optionally provided with a slight circular crown 28 extending lengthwise of each vane to provide rigidity to the flexible vanes. The crowns 28 of the vanes l6 have little or no effect on the circulation of the fluid in the passages defined by the vanes during multiplication of torque by the hydrodynamic couplin device.

Referring to Fig. l, illustrating a vane it and the core ring H prior to assembly and in position for assembling, the dimension indicated at between parallel planes, in which the edge 29 of the body of each vane and edge 30 of the tab 2% of each vane are respectively disposed, is slightly less than the dimension indicated at R between parallel planes, in which the outer terminal edge 3i and the edge 32 of each slot 55 in the shell are respectively disposed. Accordingly, when the tabs 2d of the vanes I 6 are received within the slots I5 in the core ring and the core ring moved toward the vanes and the outer surface of the core ring engaged with the arcuate inner margins of the vanes, pressure will be required to effect their engagement, setting up considerable friction between the outer surface of the core ring and the edges 29 of the vanes which will be effective to dampen any tendency of the vanes to vibrate, for example, when the fluid in the coupling device might be cavitating. It may be noted vibration of vanes in a fabricated vaned element of sheet metal or other sheet material may result in loosening of the vanes in the shell during operation of the coupling.

I wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific construction of the hydrodynamic coupling element and to the specific methods for making the same which are shown and described, except only insofar as the claims may be so limited as it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Furthermore, I wish it to be understood that, although the embodiments of the invention illustrated are in connection with an impeller element, the invention is not to be limited to an impeller element to the exclusion of driven and stator elements in a hydrodynamic coupling, unless the claims are so limited.

I claim:

1. In a vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device, a hollow shell having a semi-toroidal inner surface provided with circumferentially spaced sets of radially spaced seats; a plurality of substantially semi-circular vanes of resilient sheet metal fitting within said shell and each having spaced mounting portions on its radially outer arcuate margin engaging said seats, said vanes being flexed to induce reaction forces in said vanes effective to hold the mounting portions of said vanes in engagement with said seats, the seats of one of said sets comprising projections integral with said shell and spaced from the edges of said inner surface of said shell and engaged with certain of the mounting portions of said vanes.

2. In a vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device, a hollow housing having a generally semi-toroidal surface provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots interrupting the continuity thereof and a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections therein and forming portions of said casing, said projections being in radially spaced relation to said slots; a plurality of vanes each having spaced tabs on the radially outer arcuate margin thereof with one of said tabs being disposed in one of said slots and other of said tabs engaging one of said pro- ,iections, said vanes being engaged with said projections and edges of said slots.

3. The method of fabricating a vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device comprising the steps of providing a hollow semi-toroidal metallic housing having radially spaced sets of circumferentially spaced seats; providing a plurality of flexible vanes each curved in the direction of its thickness and having spaced mounting portions on the outer arcuate margin thereof spaced apart a greater distance than the din tance between the radially spaced sets of seats; inserting the vanes in the housing and flexing the vanes to engage the mounting portions of the vanes with the seats of the housing and toinduce reaction forces in the vanes holding the same in engaged relation; deforming the metal adjacent the seats of one set to force certain of the mounting portions of the vanes tightly into engagement with the seats of the other set and to further flex the vanes to augment the reaction forces in the vanes for maintaining the mounting portions of said vanes in engagement with said seats.

4;. The method of fabricating a vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling element comprising the steps of: providing a hollow metallic housing having circumferentially spaced slots and circumferentially spaced indentations; providing a plurality of flexible vanes each having spaced tabs on its outer margin and spaced apart a greater distance than the distance between the slots and indentations; inserting the vanes in the housing and flexing each vane to engage its tabs with a slot and an indentation and to induce reaction forces in the vanes holding the same in engagement with the slots and indentations; deforming the metal of the housing adjacent the indentations to force one of the tabs of each vane into tight engagement with an edge of the associated slot and to further flex the vanes to augment the reaction forces in the vanes for maintaining the tabs of the vanes in the slots and indentations in the housing.

5. The method of fabricating a vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling element comprising the steps of: providing a hollow metallic housing having circumferentially spaced slots and circumferentially spaced indentations; providing a plurality of flexible vanes each having spaced tabs on its outer margin and spaced apart a greater distance than the distance between the slots and indentations and having a tapered end surface intersecting the outer margin thereof; inserting the vanes in the housing and flexing each vane to engage its tabs with a slot and an indentation and to induce reaction forces in the vanes holding the same in engagement with the slots and indentations; deforming the metal of the housing adjacent the indentations to flow the metal along the tapered end surfaces of said vanes at their intersection with the outer margins of the vanes and to force one of the tabs of each vane into tight engagement with an edge of the associated slot and to further flex the vanes to augment the reaction forces in the vanes for maintaining the tabs of the vanes in the slots and indentations in the housing.

6. In a vaned element of a hydrodynamic coupling device, a hollow shell having a substantially semi-toroidal inner surface having circumferentially spaced sets of radially spaced indentations therein; a plurality of sheet metal vanes in said shell and each having an arcuate edge engaging said surface and radially spaced tabs disposed in the indentations of one of said sets; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced bosses, projecting above said surface at the radially inner extremities of the radially innermost indentations and spaced from the radially inner end of said surface, engaging the adjacent edges of the vanes and forcibly urging the radially outer extremities of the radially outermost vane tabs into engagement with the indentations receiving the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,061,997 Dunn Nov. 24, 1936 2,115,367 Levy Apr. 26, 1938 2,205,054 Wemp June 18, 1940 2,360,383 Zeidler Oct. 17, 1944 2,429,503 Zeidler Oct. 21, 1947 2,436,911 Zeidler Mar. 2, 1948 2,474,298 Zeidler June 28, 1949 2,505,820 Zeidler May 2, 1950 

